roland EF-303 Groove Effects

Sound Quality

Now this is where I must settle a score. Luckily I managed to borrow this from a friend before I parted with the cash. There are many conflicting opinions here about the quality of the effects. Let me *assure* you, the low pass filter MOST CERTAINLY *DOES* STEP and HORRIBLY. Some of the (bull from associates of ROLAND) reviews here nearly had me convinced that this box had a nice filter. After all it is primarily an FX box and one with a name-tie to a nice quality and distinctive filter (ef-303 <> tb-303.) Sounds resonable that I might exspect a good filter doesn't it? Well it is nasty, rubbish, harsh, digital stepping rubbish, rubbish. The earlier (probably Rolands ef-303 project manager) reviewer who didn't hear the ugly digital artifacts in a filter more steppy than a centipede climbing a stair case in a high rise building with a broken lift, must be ignorant, deaf or monitoring through a pair of yogurt pots connected by string with phono leads glued on.
btw as for the other effects, personally I consider them to be equally as bad as the filter.
The 303 'emulation' is about on a par with what I might do with a Casio SK-1 toy keyboard for a joke. Okay maybe not that bad but definitely more lo-fi sampled than analogue modelled to my ear. Think Rebirth output through an 8-bit mono soundblaster.

Reliability/Durability

Too soon to comment

Price/Value

General Comments

I've probably got carried away slating this machine. It's best feature appears to be its ability to function as a useful 16 step old skool sequencer for notes or controllers over midi. I am not sure whether the gate time / velocity part will transmit via midi- i doubt it. Another cool thing is the built in scales- program a pattern in using the sliders then change between the many and varied scales and audition the changes.